Mitch Thorp option for Devonport

DEVONPORT coach Max Brown says he is more than happy for the club to explore its options for a playing coach next year.

DEVONPORT coach Max Brown says he is more than happy for the club to explore its options for a playing coach next year.

EXPLORING OPTIONS: Devonport coach Max Brown is happy for the club to explore playing-coach options for next season.

It became public on Monday that the Magpies’ board was in discussions with former AFL player and state league premiership coach Mitch Thorp about taking the reins, with the only stumbling block being he must live on the North-West Coast.

Thorp has flagged a possible return to Tasmania for family reasons and wants to base himself out of Launceston and take the one-hour drive to Devonport daily.

But the TSL have said if he was to coach the Magpies he must reside in the area, which hasn’t sat well with Thorp.

The 194cm forward, who led South Launceston to last year’s flag and won the league’s Tassie Medal (best and fairest), has been playing with Glenelg in the SANFL this season.

Brown said he was fully aware that the discussions had taken place and he had no problem with the club examining all possible options.

‘‘They’ve got every right to talk to who they want to talk to – that’s footy and I accept that,’’ a philosophical Brown said.

‘‘If they can get a good playing coach that can provide some on-field leadership and they think that’s the best way to move forward, then that’s fine.

‘‘And given the fact they’ve got an extra side to fill [in the NTFL next year] they need to be very much on the front foot in the next couple of weeks.’’

Brown said if the Devonport board decided not to go down the playing-coach road then he would be interested in reapplying for the top job.

‘‘I’d like to think given where we’re at and the improvement we’ve shown this year as a group that if I wanted the role that maybe I’d get asked to do it again,’’ he said.

‘‘But it’s really up to them, so to a large degree my hands are tied.

‘‘I’ve just got to focus on this week’s final game of the season and accept it could be my last as coach.’’

Magpies’ president Shane Yates said discussions with Thorp were very preliminary, but conceded the club’s board would be falling down in their duties if they didn’t consider the 25-year-old.

‘‘We’re considering all possible options and he’s just another one of them,’’ Yates said of Thorp.